School Bus Safety

School is almost back in session and the Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding motorists to be aware of school buses.

Anytime a school bus displays flashing lights, motorists must remember to stop at least 10 feet back when approaching it from either side, and not to resume driving until the school bus begins moving. With buses loading and unloading children daily, Lieutenant Matt Boyd said the Patrol will be paying extra attention to reckless drivers.

“Everyone needs to participate in trying to help make sure that the children are safe going to and from school, that includes planning ahead and leaving a little bit earlier, anticipating getting behind a school bus, a lot of times that commute to work may be 20 to 30 minutes, but then you get behind a school bus, that adds 5 or 10 minutes to that because you’re behind them while they’re stopped, picking up children,” Boyd said.

Over the last three years, 29 school bus-related crashes occurred in Muskingum County. The Patrol conducts bus inspections during the off-season and throughout the school year, to ensure students have a safe ride to and from school.

“Through the state of Ohio we average over 45,000 bus inspections a year and we ensure those buses are safe to operate, they go through very extensive inspections, everything from the seats, the tires, the lights and all the equipment, they even get underneath the buses, check the frames,” Boyd said.

To report reckless drivers, Boyd encourages contacting the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Violators will be cited.